Filing Information

Inventor(s)	David Hart · Robert L. Cooke ·
Assignee(s)	BAE Systems PLC ·  View assignee updates
Attorney/Agent(s)	Nixon & Vanderhye P.C. ·
Primary Examiner	Michael J. Carone ·
Application Number	US7456817
Filing date	12/08/1989
Issue date	06/28/2005
Predicted expiration date	12/08/2014
Patent term adjustment	1826
U.S. Classifications	244/312  · 114/213  ·
International Classifications	--
Kind Code	B1
International Classifications	244 312 · 114 212 · 114 213 ·
Foreign Priority	GB8828680 - 12/08/1988 ·

Patent Family

Abstract

An anti-torpedo torpedo having laser homing head, the torpedo being launched from a parent vessel or platform which itself houses the expensive to replace, the bulky, or the high power consuming parts of the laser, said parts being optically connected to an optical projector in the homing head in the torpedo itself and to any parts of the laser not housed in the parent vessel.

Independent Claims | See all claims (9)

1. 1. An underwater detection system having an underwater guided vehicle, a parent vessel which can be a surface vessel or an underwater vessel or a platform, and detection means for detecting underwater objects, the detection means including a laser light generating means, means to direct the light so generated towards an underwater object, and detector means to receive a reflection from said underwater object, at least some parts of the laser light generating means being carried by the parent vessel and at least the directing means and the detector means being carried by the underwater vehicle, and optical fiber cable means for operatively connecting those parts of the laser light generating means carried by the parent vessel or platform to the directing means and to any parts of the laser light generating means carried by the underwater vehicle.
2. 2. An underwater detection system comprising: an underwater guided vehicle having an optical projector for directing received laser light towards an underwater target, and an optical detector for receiving laser light reflected from the target; a laser light generator, remote from said underwater guided vehicle; and a light guide for transmitting laser light from said generator to said guided vehicle and coupling said laser light to said guided vehicle as said received laser light.